Melting the Tower
by Final Fight
Summary: After Beast Boy manages to break the Titans' heater, Robin is forced to confront the cold, his responsibilities as leader, and his feelings for his fellow bird. RobRae
1. Cold

Author's Note: Hey people! Miss me? No probably not…

Anyway, so I've decided that what I really needed to get me out of my writers block was a romantic comedy. Lost in Thought (hey – anybody remember that?) has been put on hiatus, but YES, I DO plan to get back to it at some point. I'm planning a seven-part series, and I plan to have the installment by next Sunday (I'm going on a trip). Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this, 'cause I know I enjoyed writing it.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans

* * *

**Melting the Tower**

Chapter one:

Cold

Freezing didn't even begin to describe what Jump City was calling its coldest winter on record. Twice Cyborg had been forced to defrost the outside of the Tower, both times he had remarked that he would rather be in hell, both times Raven had glared at him.

Oh well.

So here was Robin, sitting on the couch while drinking his morning coffee, and gazing out the window with an unmistakable look of disinterest on his face. The snow had just recently started up again, and the endless flurries seemed almost a lullaby to a sleep-deprived Robin. He had trouble remembering the last time he had had more than three hours of sleep a night…

Looking for Slade was a time-consuming task.

Anyway, Robin was drinking his coffee and tiredly keeping his eyes open when one of the greatest injustices in the history of the world took place.

The heat went off.

"BEAST BOYYYY!" the shout could be heard throughout the tower. And it made the little green changeling shiver. He hadn't meant to break the heater. But trying to make a new form of Stankball had risks… Yeah, like the others would accept that. As pounding could be heard in the stairwell of Titian's Tower, the shape-shifter decided it might be hazardous to his health for him to stay where he was.

_**SceneChangeSceneChangeSceneChangeSceneChangeSceneChange**_

An angry group of teenage Titans – who were already beginning to feel the effects of the cold – was gathered in the main living room of the Tower. Disgruntled and upset, it took Robin a few tries to get them all to stop mumbling under their breath.

"Alright Everyone, Beast Boy has gone into hiding, and despite our mutual desire to hunt him down – we have other things to deal with. So, Cyborg – what's the heater's status?"

Feet shuffled below Cyborg as he gave his answer to Robin's query, "_Wellll…_ some of the parts are broken and need to be ordered… and it could take up to a week for those parts to get here…"

A massed groan could be heard from the assembled Titans. Several colorful words could be heard in the uproar, along with an aggrieved 'this is most unfortunate!' Robin in particular was upset, as it would fall on him to coordinate the operation of keeping the other Titans from freezing to death, aptly named the 'Keep Warm' operation. He sighed as the clamor ceased and then proceeded with assigning tasks to the other Titans.

"Ok, Cyborg – I want you to find Beast Boy," Cyborg grinned mischievously. "And DON'T hurt him!" Cyborg's grin faded. "Starfire – I want you to go get the all the blankets in the closet," Starfire bobbed her head up and down with gusto, having clearly forgotten her anger over the prospect of helping her friends. "Raven," she moved her eyes from the falling snow to Robin, "I want you to help me try to insulate the roof and windows."

Raven dead-paned while Cyborg and Starfire balked. Trying not to ruffle the feathers of his clearly irritated leader, Cyborg softly pointed out to his friend, "Uh… Robin man, that's like… well – totally impossible…" He got nothing but a glare from the boy wonder.

"Well, Raven and I are going to try anyway. NOW MOVE!" The others flinched and quickly complied with their aggravated leader's directive.

But while Robin was passionate and even at times naive with his goals, he was no fool, and while he trudged up the stairs to the hallway with Raven in tow he thought on the real reason he had chosen this assignment for Raven and himself.

The last week had been a painful one for the resident boy wonder; Raven had become more and more withdrawn, and things had begun to explode in the Tower at an irregularly high rate. Raven was clearly agitated over something – the three broken televisions in the trash attested to that fact. It was left to Robin to deal with it.

Like always…

So it was at this time that Robin chose to begin his interrogation of the mysterious empath. "So… how's it going Raven?" Oh yeah – he was smooth…

Raven gazed at him with a pained expression on her face before replying, "Fine." Now some lesser men might have been daunted at the prospect of having to deal with this fire-breathing goddess of death – but then – Robin wasn't some men… boys… whatever…

As they walked down the hall to the elevator Robin came up with an idea, "Uh, well I was just wondering if there was anything you might have wanted to talk to me about?"

:"No," was Raven's only reply, as they both entered the elevator and Robin poked the button that would bring them to the garage.

Robin knew that his next question was taking him onto thin ice, but he really needed to get to the bottom of the whole "blowing things up" issue as soon as possible.

"You haven't had any nightmares about your father lately?" he said with as much casualness as he could muster.

"Nope," Raven replied the same way as Robin had asked.

…That was… unexpected…

Ok, so Robin had tried most of the nice ways that he could get her talking, now he would just come out directly and say it. "Raven… I've uh… noticed that our power-outages are getting more frequent…"

Alright, alright! So it wasn't _that_ direct, but come on! He didn't want her to kill him!

At this point they had arrived at their destination and were beginning to collect the insulation foam; so it took a minute for Raven to get the foam she was carrying out of her face enough to speak clearly.

"So? Are you asking my permission to call the electrician?" she asked with a scowl marring her features.

Taken aback by her quick answer to what he thought was a relatively fool-proof question, it took Robin a moment to respond.

Before he could say anything however, Raven was already walking toward the elevator with a seemingly space-age wheelbarrow full of foam.

Running to catch-up with the empath, Robin tried again, "No, that's not what I meant. I was asking if you had anything to do with it."

As the two Titans reentered the elevator Raven abandoned her nonchalance for annoyance. "Look Boy Blunder, I'm in no mood to be interrogated with twenty questions. I suggest you just drop whatever it is you're failing miserably to allude to.

Blunt.

Shot down for the moment, Robin could only think about how difficult his teammate was being…

_And how freakin' cold it is!_

…Yes, that too.

**_NextSceneChangeNextSceneChangeNextSceneChangeNextSceneChange_**

A few hours later and the roof had been insulated, along with a few other important spots. Robin had had little time to speak to Raven after they had started, and by the time Robin had called it quits night was fast approaching.

Now with the rest of his team in the main room (including Beast Boy who had managed to evade Cyborg – and later Starfire – for several hours until he had been corned in the left-most side of the top-of-the-tower), Robin was going over the changes each Titan would have to make in their routine for the next few days.

"Starfire, you're going to have to keep the windows closed (yes, Robin also thought it silly that he would have to say this). I know you like your… 'Snow Room' – but we have to conserve what heat we have left." Starfire's solemn nod assured Robin that his directive would be followed.

"Now Cyborg has informed me that he can get the heater to work in the next few days, BUT, this is really stretching our budget! Therefore I'm going to need you guys," he said this while looking pointedly at Beast Boy, "to lay off the Stankball – we just can't afford to have the Tower further damaged."

Robin glanced at the various faces of his friends; each seemed to at least be paying **_some_** attention…

"Cyborg, no T-car upgrades for awhile. We can't afford it, and you need to keep your attention focused on the heater." A scowl and muttering awarded Robin's efforts.

…Hmm… How should he put this next one? 'Say Raven, I need you to calm down and stop blowing things up – you're costing me a fortune!'

_Righttt…_

Ok guys, dismissed," Robin announced to the assembly. All but Raven seemed a little miffed that he had said nothing to her. Raven just walked out of the room without a second-glance.

He would put off the conversation for now, maybe he would bring it up tomorrow when they were all rested…

**_LastSceneChangeLastSceneChangeLastSceneChangeLastSceneChange_**

Robin tossed-and-turned in his frigid bed, but sleep seemed to be a far-way off. He sat up and ran his fingers through his hair.

Tomorrow he would speak to Raven and get that figured out, maybe he would pick up some more deodorant, calling the bank was a priority, and he also needed to have a long, serious talk with Beast Boy about responsibility… (Fine! I was more likely to be a lecture!)…

But as Robin finally began to lose consciousness, he couldn't help but wonder why he had to deal with so many problems – not knowing that they were just beginning.


	2. Baddd Day

Author's Note: Sup!

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans**

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Melting the Tower

Chapter two:

Baddd Day

Robin had woken up late with a blinding headache and a temper to match, but the sight of Starfire in the main room wearing **_nothing_** but a sleeveless tee that was at least two sizes too small and see-through pajama shorts quickly took his mind off of his troubles and into the gutter.

"Good morning friend Robin! Is this cold not wonderful for awakening the senses?"

"Um… er… yeah… Starfire?" Robin said – trying as hard a possible to stifle his lecherous thoughts.

"Yes friend Robin?" Starfire asked with her oh so pretty eyes starring widely at him.

It was at this point however, that Cyborg chose to walk in on the scene, and in typical Cyborg fashion, on seeing Starfire's attire, yelled in an extremely loud voice, "WOAH!"

This prompted Beast Boy to come running in and follow suite with a similar exclamation.

Whipping around wildly Starfire offered an extremely confused, "What is the matter friends?"

Robin (being the first to have recovered from seeing Starfire in such a state of dress… undress?) took it upon himself to explain the outbursts to Starfire. "Um… Starfire? Don't you think that that shirt is a bit… tight?"

Starfire seemed to partially comprehend her friends surprised shouts at this point, and answered Robin with a smile, "Yes, I do find it a bit tight, but when I purchased it in the mall of shopping it was the only size that they had, and I do so very much like the color!"

Robin couldn't help but notice that it seemed to be the same shade of pink that Starfire always wore…

Glancing at his friends for support he found Cyborg whistling and Beast Boy acting preoccupied with a non-existent stain in his uniform.

Useless, good-for-nothing…

Returning his attention to Starfire, Robin proposed as politely as he could, "Do you think Starfire… that you might want to change into something else? You know – 'cause of the cold?"

Starfire's frown turned into a brilliant smile as she swooped to hug the boy wonder. "Thank you for your concern friend Robin! You are most right! I would not want a cold of catch!"

Robin was just too much of a teenage boy not to blush after hugging such a scantily dressed Starfire, and therefore forgot to correct her grammar as she flew out of the room.

Oh yeah, he'd save _that_ memory.

But as the excitement passed and Robin went to make his coffee, he noticed that Raven was nowhere in sight. Confused that the earliest of the Titans risers was MIA, he asked his fellow Titans if they had seen Raven that morning.

"Nope."

"Are you kidding? I got up ten minutes ago!"

Well that was that.

So Robin grabbed his coffee and began the trek toward Raven's room. Thinking over how he was going to approach Raven about her recently unstable powers, it didn't take long for Robin to arrive in front of her door.

Here we go…

Robin's knock was answered moments after it had ended, and a hooded head peered out into the hallway.

Peering into her room through the small opening, Robin found that couldn't make out anything, and therefore began his greeting, "Hey Raven."

"What?" came the tired and irritated reply. Bloodshot eyes dared him to continue.

"Er… right, so I didn't see you at breakfast this morning…" was just about all Robin could manage to say to the perturbed bird.

"Because I wasn't there?" annoyance clearly evident on her face.

"Yeah, probably…"

"Do you need something Boy Blunder?"

At this Robin took offense. He had every right as leader of the team to check up on its members, and Raven was behaving irrationally callous. He would show her a thing or two!

As Robin started to speak the door closed.

Knocking again did little good, so Robin chose to just let it go for the time being and deal with it later, he had other things he needed to do… like…

Oh shit!

Racing down the corridor Robin took the stair three at a time as he strove toward the main room.

"Cyborg!"

Arriving to find Cyborg and Beast Boy playing one of the various mega monkeys, Robin rapped the metal-man on the head.

"Hey Rob! Stop that!"

Robin didn't have time to say anything back however as he ran to the phone and dialed the number for the city bank.

"Hello, may I speak to Mr. Dolores?"

…

"No I'm not a telemarketer."

…

"I'm Robin of the Teen Titans."

…

"I'm serious!"

…

"Just let me speak to your supervisor."

…

Hi, this is Robin of the Teen Titans; may I speak to Mr. Dolores?"

…

"He's sick?"

…

"Ok, who's taken his place?"

…

"Yeah… I'll hold."

Both Cyborg and Beast Boy were watching Robin's exchange over the telephone with unmasked amusement. It wasn't everyday that the two of them got to see their reputable leader befuddled in a phone conversation. Indeed – it was an occasion for celebration.

As Robin began to pace while listening to a static-filled version of Steve Winwood's 'Higher Love,' Cyborg tried to get some information.

"So Rob, man, what's up?"

Keeping the phone to his ear Robin curtly replied with a, "I'm going to the bank. And you're coming with."

As Cyborg began to whine, the phone cut-in, and Robin resumed his previous conversation.

…

"I don't care if it's almost your lunch break I need to speak with your supervisor!"

…

"Huh? Hello, is this the supervisor?"

…

"Hi Mrs. Leeson, this is Robin of the Teen Titans…"

…

"That's very kind of you."

…

"I was wondering if I could make a withdrawal from the Titan's savings account."

…

"Oh, well… it's pretty big…"

…

"I have to come done there?"

…

"Yes, alright. Thank you very much."

As Robin finished with the phone conversation, he once again turned to Cyborg and mouthed the words, "T-Car – NOW."

With a furtive glance behind him, Cyborg began to walk towards the elevator. Robin at the same time turned to Beast Boy to find that he was once again on the game station. Glancing at his watch he decided that he had little time to spare, and therefore broke Beast Boy's concentration with a rather unpleasant order.

"BB, I have to run, but I need you to tell Raven that she's in charge until Cy and I get back – got it?" Robin knew what Beast Boy was going to say before he had even opened his mouth, and so put up his hand to silence the short green boy in front of him.

"Save it. This is an order."

Earning nothing but a scowl and grumbling Robin watched Beast Boy slide off the couch and start making his way to Raven's room.

With that out of the way Robin rushed down to the garage, and after a moment's hesitation, got inside the T-Car with Cyborg. He would have rather ridden his bike, but the Team could save money on gas this way, and if by so horrible stroke of bad luck his wonderful R-cycle got hurt – Robin shuddered – the team would go into serious debt in order to pay for the repairs.

_**SceneChangeSceneChangeSceneChangeSceneChangeSceneChange**_

The white washed walls and black tiling gave off a distinctly… 'bank-y' feel, Robin decided as he made his way up to one of the myriad booths.

A sort bald man sat behind what appeared to be a marble (but probably plaster) desk, and without even looking up at Robin said in a very tired-sounding voice, "Hello this is Jump City Bank. My name is Nathan Fields, you can call me Nate. How may I help you?" with this the man looked up to reveal a small brownish-gray moustache and a pair of extremely out of style glasses.

Robin smiled at the man as he began to speak, "Hello Mr. Fields- I mean Nate, I'm Robin of the Teen Titans and I'd like to make a withdrawal from the Titans savings account." Then Robin elbowed Cyborg as said under his breath. "Codes, account numbers – what are they?"

Cyborg told the Nate the various numbers and passwords to the Titans account, all while giving Robin a sour glare.

Nate turned to his computer and after typing furiously for a moment, responded to Robin's initial statement. "That's fine sir. Is there someplace you'd like to send it, or do you want cash?"

Feeling a little stupid for not having thoroughly explained himself, Robin spoke quickly to address his mistake. "I'm sorry Mr. Fiel- I mean Nate; yes, I would like to put the money into the main Titans account."

Nodding his head up and down Nate replied with a, "certainly, certainly!" Then after more furious typing he turned back to Robin. "How much would you like to transfer?"

"Fifty-thousand, please."

Nate raised his eyebrows at this but once again began to type on his computer. Cyborg on the other hand had his jaw drop.

"Dude! The way you talked I thought we were hard up! We've got that much!" Cyborg then jumped to his feet and did something that Robin swore moments after Cyborg would regret in training for the next year.

"Hey everybody! Party at Titan Tower!"

There was a flurry of movement as several press members who happened to be interviewing a security guard (due to a recent break-in, that – of course – the Titans had foiled), suddenly ran toward Nate's desk.

"What's that Mr. Cyborg?"

"How big of a party?"

"When is it being held?"

Cyborg stood there a moment in thought; even as Robin sputtered that no party had been planned. Finally he looked up and said, "In five days."

Just as Robin managed to gather his wits and began to tell the press agents (who were all now demanding details) that there was no party, an elderly woman leading a few young scruffy-looking children came up to the odd group and began to talk and gesticulate. "Oh this is wonderful! I do hope you make it child-friendly, because I'm sure the orphans I look after would love to come!"

Cyborg stood looking at Robin with a smug grin on his face, while Robin looked like he was wincing from actual physical pain.

"Oh… um – yeah… it'll be safe for kids…" Robin managed to get out before slumping in his chair.

After the crowd had dispersed and Robin and Cyborg were getting into the T-Car, Robin turned to him.

"Say, Cy? I've come up with a few new training maneuvers and I think that you'd be great as a guinea pig."

**_NextSceneChangeNextSceneChangeNextSceneChangeNextSceneChange_**

After arriving back at the Tower, Robin came into the main room to find…

Chaos.

Destruction.

Anarchy.

Almost all the windows were broken, and the sofa was overturned. Cans lay spread across the floor, cheetos and various other kinds of chips where mashed into every surface. And in the center of this giant mess lay a huge tub of chocolate pudding, and two bloated Titans.

"WHAT THE F–"

Cyborg managed to stifle his leader before he could finish his exclamation and kill Starfire and Beast Boy. When after a few moments of struggle Robin relaxed, Cyborg released him.

Beast Boy was now sitting up and had managed to awaken Starfire before Robin's tirade began.

"I leave you two for three hours and this is what happens? I'd expect this from Beast Boy," Beast Boy winced, "But not from you too Starfire!" Starfire looked down ashamedly.

"What were you two thinking! That I would be fine coming back to a completely destroyed living room? I don't even want to think about what the kitchen must look like!" Both Beast Boy and Starfire had enough tact to look guilty after the last comment.

Robin continued to admonish them for their complete lack of maturity before a thought hit him.

"Where's Raven?"

Beast Boy waited a moment before answering, "She never came out after I told her she was in charge."

Robin stood still silently before letting his shoulders sag and told them tiredly, "listen you two, when I come back down here in a few hours, I expect everything that hasn't been broken to look exactly like it did before I left. Is that understood?"

Starfire nodded her head as Beast Boy said, "Yes Robin."

Robin trekked his way up the stair and into the elevator as Beast Boy and Starfire began to clean things up, while Cyborg just laid back on the newly righted couch.

When Robin finally got to Raven's room he was exhausted and upset. He really needed a nap, and yet here he was – about to start a fight. He knocked on the door three times before Raven's head popped out where Robin could see it. He didn't bother to hide his evident displeasure as he told Raven, "I'm expecting you in the Evidence Room in five minutes. Be there."

Raven was about to give a curt reply, but Robin simply turned around and walked back down the hall.

Yet by the time he got to the Evidence Room and allowed himself a few minutes to relax into his reclining chair, no Raven had appeared.

It was just **_not_** his day…

After once again trekking up to Raven's Room and knocking three times, when Raven showed her face he dispensed with any and all pleasantries. Looking back Robin would say that he ought to have been slightly more diplomatic, but the fact was that Robin was just plain pissed.

"The hall – NOW."

Raven scowled before stepping into the hallway.

"Raven, I really have no idea what's gotten into this past few weeks but it has to end. I left you in charge today, only to find that the Main Room of the Tower had been hit by a whirlwind. You're being irresponsible! And ignoring my order! Who the hell do you think you are!"

Raven at this point looked at Robin furiously before spitting out, "Who the hell am I! Who the hell am I! Who the hell are you! I don't need this! Get those irresponsible twits to baby-sit themselves! I have MORE IMPORTANT things to do!"

Robin was just about to respond with a rant of his own before his was struck dumb with the strangest thought.

Raven looked hot.

Scratch that – Raven looked downright sexy!

With no cloak to hide her figure, beautiful violet hair splayed across her face, and with passion burning in her eyes; Robin couldn't help but notice the obvious.

Raven looked hot.

After staring dumbly at her for several moments Raven had apparently come to the conclusion that she had won the argument, but was shocked, stunned, and stung by what she heard next.

"I'm sorry Raven. But until I think regained your control, I'm stripping you of your rank as second-in-command."

Robin felt horrible in that moment, but he knew it was necessary. Raven couldn't act like this and retain her position.

Raven began to turn, before deciding against it and simply returning to her room – albeit slamming the door after her.

Robin sighed and began to walk toward his room. Where the hell had those thoughts come from? Robin shook his head and decided that a nap would be the best thing for him to do at this point

_**I like chicken! I like Liver! Meow-Mix, Meow-Mix please deliver! Oh! And the scene is changing!**_

Coming into the main room after having taken a refreshing but still too short nap; Robin found it to look much as it had before he had left to go to the bank. Thanking all the gods he knew of he plodded into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

Nothing.

Great.

Robin walked over to the phone to order pizza while remarking off-handedly to Beast Boy (who was also – obviously – in the kitchen) that they needed to go grocery shopping.

When the pizza came, and was eaten in short order, Robin turned his attention to Beast Boy. "Hey BB?" Robin asked casually.

"Yeah, what's up Rob?" Beast Boy answered while stuffing another piece of pizza into his mouth.

"We need to talk." Robin pronounced. Beast Boy then nodded mutely and followed Robin to the Evidence Room.

Leaning against the wall Robin turned to face the fidgeting Beast Boy.

"Beast Boy, you know I've allowed you to get away with a lot," earning him a solemn nod in response, "but you're getting older and your antics are getting worse! This has to end!

Looking up Beast Boy nodded once again to Robin and with a, "I understand," began to leave. Robin was an observant leader however, and it was obvious to him that Best Boy wanted to say something.

"Wait a minute BB – what do you want to say?" Robin asked in as gently a big brother voice as he could muster.

Footsteps stopped as Beast Boy turned around and began to speak.

"I understand that things have gotten out of hand Robin, and that I need to tone it down a bit… But… It's like I feel as if I don't do things like this then our team will lose some of it's spirit. Every year we become a little less like we were the year before, and…," Beast Boy clearly in a moment of revelation, Robin chose not to interrupt him and allowed him to continue. "I'm afraid that if I stop doing crazy things, then the team as a whole, and I, will lose that part of who we originally were."

Deep.

Robin stood in stunned silence for a minute before addressing Beast Boy.

"I have to say BB, I really didn't expect this from our conversation," Robin informed him. "But I'm glad you said this. You are right – we are changing, and sometimes it doesn't seem like we're changing for the best; I don't think you should stop being who you want to be – if you want to stay as the funny little green dude then," Robin continued through Beast Boy's outburst that he was not little, "you should – but we all have to grow up Beast Boy, all I'm asking is that you stop wrecking stuff. You don't have to become some grim, brooding enigma–"

"Like you?"

Yes, like m– Hey wait a minute!"

After a little more playful banter both of the two boys decided to go off to bed.

But as Robin once again got under his blankets and began to dream. He couldn't possibly know that the bad luck that had seemed to come out of nowhere that day was going to follow him for the rest of the week, and get progressively worse.

* * *

Second Author's Note: So… what did you think? I thought it wasn't quite as inspired as the last chapter, but what are you gonna do? Oh, and yes, I am aware that the fact that the Heater's status had little to do with this chapter – it will have a bigger part to play in the rest of the story.

I must say I'm awfully sorry for how long this took, but I seem to have a horrible case of writer's block that's just not going away. I made a promise to myself that I was going to finish this story though, and by God I will! And if you noticed that this chapter is a bit longer than the last one, then way to go! I plan to make the all chapters at least this length in the future.

Lastly I'd like to thank all of those people who reviewed my last chapter, and that from now on I plan to write review replies (probably not for flames though…)

Go review!


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